hey yeah so I grew up outside Burlington in the 80s, and was a teenager in the 90s. went to this show, my first and only Grateful Dead show with Jerry. I'll never forget it.

for one thing, on arrival, I saw out the window of our van, this scraggly hippie dude thrashing flowersticks / devilsticks. first time I'd ever seen them and was mesmerized. long story short, I got a set and have been playing with them (not the same set obviously) for almost 25 years now, and they've transformed my life in so many ways.

but to the show! just amazing, I remember Bob Dylan being iconic and unintelligible; Touch of Gray stands out especially in my mind; some politician was there too as a guest, but I don't remember who it was - Bernie? Patrick Leahy? Someone, but that was neat.

and then there was the fence. that really stood out. I had left our crew in the middle of the crowd to go find food or a bathroom or something I don't recall, I think it was food. found my way over towards the fence where there were a bunch of white easy-ups IIRC along the side, but I was down towards the entrance-end of them. anyhow, on the other side of the fence was a small hill running parallel to the fence.

all along the side of the fence were people without tickets wanting to get in. positioned along the outside of the fence at regular intervals were cops with dogs. everyone was just there all chill... until one guy on the hill stands up, makes some gesture (I think he might've thumped his chest with his hands once), a "what are you gonna do about it?" kinda body language, and started walking down the hill towards the fence and cops.

things started moving very quickly at this point. first one, then another stand up to join this guy, then all of a sudden everyone on the hill is up and moving quickly towards the fence. people are climbing the fence, cops are dragging people off it, dogs are jumping and presumably biting, but the cops aren't enough and soon the fence is covered in people, and, well, it just tipped right over.

it was about this time, with what looked to be about a hundred people maybe 20 yards from me now streaming towards me, that I decided to turn tail and run back into the crowd to avoid getting trampled.

so that was fun. super super memorable highlight to an otherwise crazy amazing experience.

My biggest complaint with Highgate '95 aside from the terrible musical performance and the horrible desecration of the scene was this: they played 3 repeats from the year before in the 2nd set. Truckin, SOTM & Sugar Mag were all played the year before, made for a disappointing end to a poorly played show. The year before was so much more fun. They never should have added Dylan to this date, just assured that waaay to many people showed up. 2 stars only because they played a concert.

I was there. Sober as a judge. Walked in to Touch of Grey. High hopes. Saw the guy fly over in one of those lawn chair lookin ultralights before dark. Jerry by all accounts incl. mine, looked bad. Listening here, lo these 22 yrs later, sounds like he is singing from his deathbed. But, How that man did channel some thing special when he played music. What a gift. Fortunate Us to be in that Presence of magic.Pity those who do not get it... the Dead w out Mr. Garcia and w/ an eager replacement,is, to me, like a Van Gogh painting without ...the color blue...?replaced by....turquoise? Nice, but lacking the power of the original. Peace, all. Listen, enjoy.

First of all, there was no crashing of the gate. That would imply there was a gate to crash. After the fence fell over, and that is indeed what happened as I was one of the individuals sitting against the fence when it, along with myself and my friends, fell over toward the “inside”. I watched as the man fell from the tree limb; I watched as he was taken away by ambulance. I, along with my friends, had tickets for this show yet at the moment the fence fell were not on the ticket carrying side. I imagine there were others with tickets who were also “outside” the perimeter when the fence fell. Regardless, it was due to the force of our sitting against that particular section of fence that it fell over. I can certainly testify to how flimsily it was pieced together. As to the energy at this show, I’ve experienced bad energy surrounding and inside shows and this was not one of them. In fact, Madison Square Garden, inside and out, is where the worst of the energies emanated. Talk about chaos and frightening scenes. Now that locale was always saddening to witness. Vermont is Vermont. Even in the huge traffic jam on the highway it was easy to find enjoyment. And a huge thank-you to the father and son selling food after the show. It was both needed and delicious.

Update to May 2011 review: Listening for the first time since my 2011 review. Going to the Friday and Sunday Fare Thee Well shows in Chicago got me nostalgic so I'm listening to shows I attended from most recent [1995] backward to my first show on 7/31/74. I think the nostalgia stems from the overall positive vibe of the Chicago shows. Hadn't seen that amount of positive energy with zero negativity at a show since the Hartford shows in March 1990. And definitely the best vibe at any of the stadium shows since Giants Stadium 1978- -sorry, but once they went stadium shows, a dark element started to rear its ugly head... and element that even popped up in places like New Haven, CT in 1984 [there were a lot of younger folk just "hanging around" and partying with no interest in the show]. As for the music in Chicago, fantastic. Not the same as with Jerry [never could be], but the best post-95 configuration I'd heard. Perhaps being in their musical infancy gave it freshness. Or maybe Trey is that good and adaptable. I've actually wondered if the boys should have lured Trey from Phish back in 1996 the way the ABB lured Warren from Gov't Mule - - let him be full time for both. I suspect they could have explored some seriously new and interesting ground. Anyway, I digress...... After Chicago managed to generate a 70's feel in a stadium, I decided to venture back in time and check out the de-evolution of a band I had watched evolve since 1974..... This is the 4th show I'm listening to from the 1995 tour from Hell. Truth be told, it is better than I remembered. Most of the first set sounds decent. And the Truckin' sounds okay. Yeah, Jerry muffs the lyrics to Touch of Grey. And yeah, I remember him looking like hell. But his leads aren't bad. No searing jams, but his guitar is clear in the mix- -unlike the Giants Stadium show where his volume was down and he butchered Wharf Rat beyond recognition. But as seemed to be the norm for '94 and '95, the show hit a low point and never got completely back on track. In this case, the abbreviated Wouldn't that be Something. Love the tune. One of McCartney's best. But this was not a good rendition..... And while Box of Rain, SOTM, and Sugar Mag are favorites, they were rather flat. At the time, I thought it was more being surrounded by lawless asshats aka gate crashers and folks too stoned to be interacting with other humans. But listening now, I think Jerry just ran out of steam....... In any event, compared to train wrecks like Giants Stadium, this isn't a God awful show. Stand by my comments below that it isn't the band I first saw or even the band of the very early 90's. But for an engine running on 5&1/2 out of 6 cylinders, not too shabby. And if I could have this show with the vibe from Chicago, this is the show I'd rather have seen. The man gave us all he had to give. Regrettably, how much we all know.... R.I.P. Jerry. Miss you more than words can tell. And now, we return to my original review....


From the "edgy vibe" on the walk into the concert site, to the gates being crashed, I knew this was not going to be the mellow night I had in Highgate in 1994. So Dylan came out and was pretty damn good. Then Jerry walked on stage and my friends and I were stunned by how smacked out he looked. Unlike '94 when he stood up tall and smiled while he played, this was a night of standing perfectly still and hunched over. When he did look up, it was a worried look... a look of struggling to do somehting he once did effortlessy and with that cherubic smile. At the end of the day, not the worst show. But still barely a shell of what the Dead had been just a year before. And not even a fleeting resemblance to the bad I first saw in '74. I hit a few more shows that summer. But when me and my buddies walked out of RFK, we all agreed that unless Jerry got healthy and clean, it was over. And so it came to be... even more tragically than imagined... So very sad....

Being a Montreal based head these were as close to hometown shows as it got for me. I attended both Highgate shows as they were close, but we all knew the good days were past. Too bad I missed Dylan, sounds like that was the real ticket that night. Oh well, good thing for the Archive so we can keep the good shows playing. I agree the band must've been bummed by what had become of the scene, and am sure it took the wind out of their sails.

My last time seeing the boys as it was for many people. I remember the local gas station making more money in one day than they did all year. It was a sad day, Jerry's funeral and he mostly played that way because I believe Jerry and the band knew his death was near. I'll still take a half dead Jerry show over no Jerry show anyway of the week. I was young so drinking and mushrooms which we bought fake ones was important to a degree. Also ecstasy...... The music was good to hear one last time live and a good getaway to fine Vermont. The scene was out of control. Wouldn't change myself going for the world.

The best part of this show for us was when, after the gates were crashed, the State and local Police completely vacated the airport. It was great to walk out to the RV and chug some brews and chill from the MASSIVE crowd during intermission. Earlier, it felt like being outside the SuperDome after Katrina. As for an overall review of this show? Better if I say "No Comment"
Sorry Titi&Smokey

Makes my stomach turn to revisit this..A very dark scene,Gate crashers..I took my brother up to this show who had jumped off the bus in 93' He couldn't stand it anymore..but I convinced him to go up to Vermont with me..What a nightmare!! So many clueless people there,not for the music,but to party??? We walked out of the show during Rollin' and Tumblin'..went back to the car and put on a tape of Merriweather 6-30-85 and felt better..the night went on like that..We talked about days passed and how it had come to this???

hey tito, is smokey your little butt buddy or do I have it backwards, i know you like it backwards dick, but are you smokey and your buddy tito? in any case its a stupid name... tito and smokey. is that suppose to sound cool? its not. are you gangsta? tito sounds like your midget slave boy you keep tied up in your basement and use for sex, oh wait that's your dog.

Whats with your bad attitude? keep your diarrhea of the mouth to yourself. Why are you spreading bad energy csucker? you hate your father for touching you? oh i bet its because he stopped touching you. in any case, you got serious issues so go away, nobody wants that shit here so just go away, seriously. Ask anybody here or where you slither around at home if they consider you their friend. Don't be surprised, its just who you are, an ignorant, negative pain in the ass, so just go home, crawl under your bed and cry for momma to come hold you, oh wait, I meant your dad, bitch. I bet he's been thinking about you in the bathroom when he's all alone, probably in the tub...naked...eyes closed...mouth open..."oh my little tito! come play with my smokey!" or is it the locker room scene for you two?

not good. Recording is really hard to EQ, and the show makes it not worth the trouble.

I am a 'reformed Deadhead' who saw the band about 30 times in the 1970s; my younger brother, who must have caught 'the bug' from me, followed the guys around on his vacations (which he took to jive with the summer tours, naturally) in the mid-80s to mid-90s. I kept buying the Dicks Picks, VttV and so forth CDs and trading 'the tapes' ('ancient,' yes); unfortunately, by that time I was running my own business and had too many hungry kids to feed! So we never saw a show together. To his credit my bro' kept banging that tune on the side of his white VW bus with the 'cow' horn (anybody remember it? It had Jersey plates, ha ha), 'Come on, man, at least come see ONE gig!' Well, this gig is the one he came closest to convincing me to attend (my family had a summer house in Highgate Springs a couple of decades before). First, a caveat. Often when I mention my Dead affliction to people (once I even got the following comment from an ATF agent, square biz), they say, 'You got to see them when they were good!' Not so. Not so at all. Yeah, the band had a performance template later on. Well, Rembrandt didn't? Miles Davis didn't? The Budapest String Quartet didn't? Forget all that. I have a version of 'Dark Star' from the '90s that beats crap out of the take on LIVE DEAD. Fine, every tune wasn't the best version every time. So what. Anyway. I was within inches of deciding to go, but no, I had become, as Jerry once put it, 'old and in the way' (at 40...) so I said to my bro', 'Next year for sure.' Yeah, right. Let this be a lesson to all of us. Anyway (again), my brother and I had a serious falling out about 8 years ago and we no longer talk, but when I came across this web site and noted that this gig was available, I downloaded it without thinking. After listening to it, I have to say, yeah, it was not the best. Jerry was sick and it shows. Phil, Vince, Bobby, Mickey and Bill were doing their best to help him out. At the end of 'Truckin',' there is a serious 'out-of-sync' moment. Well, I still wish I'd been there, just to have been there and felt that vibe once more. To yell when Jerry cracked, 'Phil's not ready yet; you're going to have to think of something nice to say to him...'
To say nothing of hanging out with my 'bro. Sorry for all this 'Too Much Info', people. I miss the band and I miss my bro'. Take a tip from an ancient headbanger. If your heart says 'jump,' do it. Enough already. (P.S. My rating is based on hearing the recoding, which of course is very biased). Peace.

i dont remember this show because i was 2 months old! my mom had been following the dead for a while and we were living in CT and she already had tickets to this show and she couldnt find anyone to watch me so she took me! i am so grateful that i got to see jerry before he passed away! it doenst matter that i cant remember, because somewhere in the back of my head i can remember it!

I was working in a 24 hour store in Boston MA and used to toke after work all the time behind the boston public library with this street guy named Dan Visser who was really cool to talk to and a big dead fan..I knew of the dead and had a few old 33's and liked it but never been to a show ever but one night hanging with dan he asked me if i wanted to help him with getting some tickets to the dead show at the local tower records on mass ave in cambridge at 5am..the next day i agreed.i got in line at 5am got 4 tickets for him and was saying my goodbyes when he handed me a ticket and said "see ya there".Well i never looked at the ticket so i just assumed it was for a boston show and i was wrong..

The week before the show i hung with dan and asked how we were gonna hook up to the show and he said he had a ride with a friend and i would have to find me own way..No problem,that night i looked at the ticket and realized it was in VT!!LOL so the next day i talked to my asswipe boss and told him i was taking my vacation week..He sais no and finised my day..but after talking to Dan about the trip i decided that if my slavemaster boss wasnt gonna budge i was gonna take the week off anyway and be a no show and deal with whatever came my way when I got back.

I drove my 1984 Olds Delta88 with 172,000 miles all the way from East Boston Ma..the experience was great all around for me..the local people and heads were really cool!!Dylan and the deadshow!!Deep down inside during the show I just got a feeling this was a very special show..Something I will never forget and will always hold very close to me..

fare thee well Jerry..Thanks

I was only 12 and it was my 4th show thanks toy cool ass pops.. So by now i kno the deal and that show was def better than any idiots want to call. Not jerrys best but shit man, he gave us everything. He was near the end. He didnt know how to slow down. God bless him for blessing all of us with his talents. That show and that whole tour was fd up, but thats what society was at that time. Not the band. They were always about it man, for their people. Too many negative people tryin to blame everyone else. Let the music take control. Thats what its all about....

this was my 58th and last Grateful Dead show,
I think this recording is much better sounding than the SBD ( more even mix on the aud source )
I met a kid outside the gate and he let me in on the silver star.
When I was going in for Bob Dylan his first song started and a surge of people pressed in on all sides and then I was being carried by surge of gate crashers through the gates. I traveled forward about 50 feet before I touched the ground. I was tired of waiting to get in anyway and I was not harmed, so life goes on. The Dead had their ups and downs over the night but an interesting show,some interesting tunes in the set list, but Jerry was obviously not felling well. I thought this was still a pretty good show. Killer drumz-space> box of rain, in this one hang on to something for balance.
It had a huge two tier sound system set up
with the gatecrashers there were 100,000 freaks
- it was a silver star kind of show.
I do remember that this show made me happy.
Be Kind
Peace and Happiness be
Jerry Always gave everything that he had !!!

This was a first and last show for me. It was the first show I actually bought tickets and got in only to see about ten thousand gate crashers come running behind me, bummer. Jerry looked and sounded terrible but the moment was wonderful because I finally got in. I remember taking a wrong turn and ended up going over the bridge into Canada. As my girlfriend and myself were pulling up to speak with customs I heard dogs barking and nearly soiled my shorts thinking it was guard dogs. Turns out these old hippies behind us brought thier dogs. lol. We camped in some dudes backyard and had a great time the night before only to witness a pretty crappy scene with too many wannabees and not enough kindness. Shortly after when Jerry passed I was walking down a street in Nashua, New Hampshire while taking a break from a moving job I was on. Two girls noticing my tie-dye pulled over to tell me Jerry died. I didn't want to believe them. Years later I caught a Ratdog show in Utica, NY and have been trying to catch Bobby and the boys no matter what band they are with but never will forget that weekend in Highgate. Wish you were here Jerry!!!

Have to give it 5 for the overall 'experiance' not to mention a sweet Peggy O and Liberty

I remember roling joints for these 2 older guys in their plymouth in Enosburg Falls campground and they wanted to take me on tour with them to be their 'official' joint roller and i;d get paid to do it! Ya! 18 yrs old...why not...of coarse I never saw them later during the show or after......then there was waiting in line while listening to Dylan and then hearing that the gates had been crashed......so....how was Dylan that night? anyone? hmmmm......then there was being waaaaay to far from the stage, but getting to see stuff on the screen and feeling like because i was by myself and high, I wouldnt be able to squirm my way around people without getting lost in there space as i went...hard enough to stand alone in my own space! but that SPACE! WOW!!! THAT alone made the show......I think I remember reading in Phils memoir that he was particularly annoyed with Garcia this night(i think i read that? anyone again?) and it was funny to hear Garcia say "where just waiting for Phil now" little love jabs.........just met my doctor who saw the last Chicago show and just by chance mentioned my time at Highgate the same summer, forgetting that today was THAT day 15 yrs ago!!!! I love syncronicity! GOOD OL GRATEFUL DEAD!!!

My last dead show, after seeing this show I pretty much told myself that was it. The scene had been growing increasingly weird to me, not the good kind.
I was amazed at how many people thought it was a killer show as I walked the long walk to my car. I said then that it was the worst concert I had seen by any band, ever, up till that point. Maybe a bit harsh but man oh man, so many lyrical and other musical flubs, I remember actually wincing. I remember telling my friends that something was seriously wrong with Jerry. I don't understand how people can here this and give it 2 stars let alone 5! Sorry to be so negative but this is a bad bad show and it should be criminalized immediately. :)

Wow, I have not heard this show in a long time! My friends and I decided last munite to go, actually one of my buddies had no ticket but managed to get a miracle while waiting in what seemed like an endless sea of traffic at 2:00 am trying to get into Highgate the night before! That was a blast everyone hanging out on 89 trying to get in!

While maybe musically it was not their best show, it was very nostalgic for this was the last summer they were together, for me personally it was a blast! Although had been a long time fan and had a shitload of tapes, because of school and work never got the chance to see them a ton, so for the 4 of us it was an adventure. Met a ton of cool people on Shakedown Street and walking back and forth from the only gas station intown getting ice and supplies! Once touch came on it was a magical journey for all of us. Although there were problems at the show and maybe time has hit my memory but it was one hell of a 3 day journey, something that the 4 of us talk about all the time! It was also the last summer all of us were single by the next year or so we were either married or engaged.

My point is that while musically it was not the 70's (personally I am a pigpen, keith fan more so than Brent, Bruce and Vince) the show was a blast and it is cool to read everyone's memories of the show! Something I will never forget in my life. I am getting chills listening to the show right now telling my 7 and 3 year old about Daddy being at this show! Isn't this what is all about, hanging out with your buddies listening to a band we all love and wish were still playing! Thanks for listening and don't believe the haters out there, they were probably not at the show! Enjoy Further, Phil and Friends, and DSO. just gives us another chance to recreate moments that were pretty cool! Peace all!

The stars are for the show and the memories combined!

i`de love to review this show "cause it was great!,"but this "tito&smokey character who lies about how many shows he`s been to an speaks as if he had shit in his ears for the shows he "may"have been to ,is a total fucking wanna-be,peice of shit!! Jerry played for the fans,not the cash. Unlike everyone I know,when he was gone,it sounds as if you were glad you prick! I may have only seen 20 or so shows(93-95),not the tightest of music during this time, but Jerry played his heart out,for us. But you wouldn`t know that,you`re to busy finding faults which we all have "Mr. fuckin` perfect"....30 fucking years...and he never complained as much as you do you fucking asshole!......"we"miss you Jerry.

i was 17 yo,, 6 months before this show a friend of my mother, gave me 30+ tapes of all live dead.. that was when i started falling in love.. yes i was one of the dumbys who also went tfr the crashed gate,, that i look back and hang my head.. but i will say this was my 1st and only show the people thr could only be desiribed as "amazing" i went to this show with a girl i had a huge crush on, she lost me soon after gettint in the gate... but i did not care i was alone at that point very over welmed,, the acid may not of helped but ther where so meny kind people that i easly made friends with....

now i am 32.. have seen bobby 4 times, and have purchased, and collected 100's of shows.... everytime i think of this moment, i am so thankful.. i have payed for my ticket 10 times over... i love the dead.. ty all who keeps the dead alive :)

Just for the record...
I'm not sure how many fences actually came down around the perimeter, but I do know that one of them (a big 1) came down, not by force, but because my buddies (among others) were sitting on the base of it pre-show, leaning back like a recliner. I wandered over & proceeded to do the same. Next thing I know, after 2 or 3 backward somersaults, I am standing up again on top of the fence which came down to the surprise of everyone around...This was the fence that bordered on a forest area to the left of the stage. After it came down, I noticed some people who were milling around in the woods, doing whatever, casually walk into the show, not running & pushing...I also remember some poor soul falling out of a tree, I hope he was okay...
Again, maybe other fences came down by force, I don't know, but the rather huge one we were leaning against came down by accident, that I can assure you...

As for the show, well, it was what it was...
I can tell you that I had one hell of a time on a beautiful Vermont evening grooving & tripping, Loving & Sinning w/ the Boys & Girls! I remember the S/D's being the most otherwordly of any I experienced in my too short career, 9 shows. Particularly the Beam!

Being at a 'questionable' Dead show was a hell of alot better then being anywhere else IMHO. Excited at the prospects of seeing the remnants a few times this Spring, no Jerry physically anymore, but the 'Force' is alive & well...

5 stars because again, ask yourself, would anyone that was there (or any show) rather be anywhere else? If so, you should have stayed home...

This was a wild show. Amazing how all the indian Deadheads tore down the perimeter fence. I was taping the show on a VCR (remotely) in my car using my police scanner and using the Deads wireless monitor system. I Heard Jerry Garcia busting Bob Weir about his sunburn prior to playing "Here comes Sunshine" as they had the ability to talk to each other using this system. The band was not playing their best, but the show was fun! I remember telling Valerie, JoAnn and Fran (my friends that I went camping with that week) that we need to leave before the last song starts so we could get out of the parking lot. It was pretty cool because the Dead played "Liberty", the first time I had ever heard the song and we were listening to the song on the way out of the parking lot. I remember many Dead Heads asking what was the song they were playing...I told them I wasn't sure! I had been to many Dead shows and have to say that this was the most memorable, due to the fact that it was my last show seeing Jerry....RIP Jerry....We love you....to bad Vince took his life too!!

P.S. I will post the SBD when I can find the show in the hundreds of shows I have...I don't recall seeing it the last time I went through my VCR tapes and I did have one show that got destroyed in the VCR I mentioned earlier....not sure if it was Highgate...but I hope not now that I know everyone is looking for a SBD!

Wizz (Massachusetts)

This was my last show and felt pissed/sad at Jerry for letting himself go. Something seemed out of sync. The energy was nasty and the band sounded awful. They should have taken an hiatus or broken up for bit. I imagine if you ask the surviving members that a long vacation would have saved someones life. Anways, witnessing A He's one with Jeryy playing and singing so poorly It was like Altamont but meteaphysicaly. Time had frowned it's never ending gaze at anindividual and group who were at their apex,were the greatest rock bannd on the planet. RIP Jerry, I bet you would like Obama

The boys were always good to see, nice wang-dang, emotional standing on the moon (jerry was on the screen with the moon)sweet liberty,Vince also great with the samba. Gate crashers bummed me out, over 11 years that was #102 and my last. Dylan rocked crazy too,look up the 94 highgate as well.
Peace

So I've reviewed this gig before but i'd just like to add that it wasnt that bad of a show. Yeah all the Heads who saw the boys in the 70's and all that had it made. I'll take what i can get though ya know.Not too pumped for the opener, kind of a radio tune, really pumped for BTWind and Loose Lucy. I was 15 yrs old for this one and had just graduated Middle school! Look Out now!My mom and grandmother drove myself and a few friends to Highgate from here in Burlington..funniest moment was being stuck in traffic when this chick comes up to the car with a bunch of shrooms stuck in her teeth..my mom says, what was that in her teeth...Mushrooms i told her..ok but dont you take any she says...I actually didnt trip, but i wanted to. We ended up being treated to all the herb we could puff in exchange for the food we had...lots of sweets ya know. Good trade. I had a blast during set 2, really enjoyed Samba. JK i do like that song though, its ok. Song of the night for me...Truckin'. Def not my favorite tune, but they showed a bunch of shots of Burlington on the screens and it seemed that everyone was really diggin this one. And oh yeah, Standing on the moon was ok too. 3 stars just bc it was my first and only show and i was with my best friends who i loved. peace.

this was my one and only show i had been to. It was amazing to witness the crowd, the vibe, and beautiful Vermont, which by far is the best location for a show, way up north in god's country. It was something i will never forget, i know there are a few documentaries that show footage of this show, as it was one of their last. Not sure why anyone would hate on a show, makes no sense to me. This was an amazing event and Bob Dylan was fantastic. When the fences came down I was happy i had not paid my friend yet for the tix. I am so happy I found this.

Too all you resourceful folks out there who wouldn't mind lending a guiding hand...
If you have any idea of where I could find a video recording of the Highgate concert, June 15th, 1995...I would be grateful for your assistance and direction.
I was there...close to the stage...had a Hand Drum with Four Directions spiralling from the center...which held up and saw on the screens on either of the stage...Wow...What feeling...
It's been 12 years already and I find myself questionning whether it was just a really a good trip, alone in my head...or a really great trip with everyone else....
Anyhow...for me...the concert was time I will never forget...I was right there...50 feet from the stage...surround by a sea of happy, beautiful people...but even with the waves of grace washing over me...I could feel the sting of Gerry state on my skin...that feeling has also colored my experience at Highgate that weekend...for it was a weekend...
The procession through the Gates was a moment in and of itself...those of you who were there know this...the coming down of the Gates...that's another story again...
Would really like to re-live this moment again...
Any videos would do...
Thanks

The personal stories are crucial! It's so cool to hear someone's first-person account of the show to put it all in context.

Personally, I enjoy reading about people's experiences. Nobody is forcing anyone to read about them.

to the previous few posters...who gives a fuck what you sold,or that you came with your nephew....Jesus fucking Christ just review the goddamn show.This show sucked by the way.

My last show, after starting in 1979. It was the first time I ever did it right. Usually, getting the ticket at the last minute. This time, taking 3 days off for the show. Got up there a few days earlier, got a great campsite from a very welcoming farmer. If I remember, about $25 for 3 days, and to boot, he drove around giving out free firewood, and the day of show, offered hayride shuttles to the show. The camp was tightly packed w/ bright psychedilic colored dome tents, w/ the exception of my old boyscout style flat green triangle. I got some great shots for memories looking down from the overpass which gave a great view.

I relaxed at this one & simply chose to sit in the back on the ground. Sound was very poor, but then again this wasn't no arena. It was a flat old unused airport open on all sides. I do remember that sky surfer someone just noted. It looked like the dude hung up there forever w/ what I think I remember as a blue raft style air kite.

What can I say, I feel lucky to have caught one of the last shows, & one of the last TOG, Peggy-O, Ramble On, Truckin, & SOTM's. If an SBD was to be found, ratings would go a little higher. An Aud taped on an airport runway sure didn't help.

Thank you Jerry & Company for all the happy memories, & Thank you archive for preserving it!

I was a senior at Essex High School, it was the last day of final exam week, and of course all my friends were waiting for me. I went to my final and wrote as fast as I could, when I was done, I had to get out of there, but Mr Roberts would not let me go "to the bathroom." I made my way to the back of the room towards an open window, put one foot out, and looked at Mr. Roberts...He said something along the lines of have fun at the airfield, tell Jerry I said hi. Off to the show I went.

therewas some strange energy at the show which so coincided with the last ages of Garcia.

I brought my nephew for the experience and had to sell stuff to make the trip pay for itself, which it did! He was a new college guy and we sold bagels, coffee (French Roast w/ cream aand sugar) and granola bars or fresh fruit, and water
we made about 350 and fed a lot of hungry and scary [people who i never could have imagined that they would ever get home.
But for $2 for tyour chouice of three items when you are hungry certainly helped us sell fast.

I remember walking the parking lot with these big thermos' tied to our backs selling coffee to people half asleep at the wheel, sitting idle and waiting hours to get out of the parking lot, butwhen they saw me and my nephew, "Get Your Fresh French Roast Coffee Here!" you should have seen the eyes sparkle and a big GD smile and a grateful eye.

"Get your French roast coffee" with cream and sugar. Chewy granola bars and apples and oranges, and water.. "

im kind of curous if anyone out there remembers being delivered coffee at 2o'clock in the morning in the parking lot in a traffic jam?

There was something very satisfying in those moments. And we slept in the car for two nights.

We both got in early enough to hear Here Comes Sunshine practiced 2 tiems and casey jones once for the soundcheck.

The crowd was very rude and forceful and ran through the gates, it was the worst gate crashing i had ever experienced and it shows the worst in people, esp when we all know what happened at Cinci' and the Who.

Anyway we stood dead center in front of the board for the whole, sound was awesome!!!

Dylan took the night, Jerry did not look well so white and pale, kept getting lost between the teleprompter and i think it was throwing him off big time. You cna hear it in the hesitations in the playing. I do remeber the moon, the flying man with the ultralight/parachute, a balloon, and an awesome Black Throated Wind. The first set was good better than the second. I was happy just to be there in the breezes of summer, and feeling like Jerrys days were few. S.O.T.M was very somber and reflective of the whole dead scene at the time and poor playing. I really think Jerry was on his orbit home.

I remember the drums throwing us audibly through the uiniverse and looking at my nephew being blown away in the moment of audio fantasyland and smiling knowing i would never forget that moment,. and was glad to have the time to sharwe with him.

But I had never quite enjoyed the drums as that night and i had been to shows since 1982.

I think i really was Dead Center in a manner of speaking

Those are my moments I will not ever forget. Jery Garcia RIP

I haven't heard this show since I was there, so to listen to it again is magic. Admitingly I was quite intoxicated before Dylan opened. Hey, I was a 17 year old who missed her last day of junior high to drive from Maine to Vt...HEy Woodwarbler!!! I also lived near Bangor, too so yeah, the drive was nuts!!!

anyway, I am thrilled to listen to this show again.

Not as bad as said.

The camping the experience and the great people on tour this entire tour was to be remembered as the end of the dead. Isaw the last 20 shows of Jerry's life and i would not trade that for 50 shows in 72.I was on a magical experience and i was their guest. You are right jerry was on his last legs but that is why these last shows are so important because we the audience finally got to stick by jerry to let him know thanks 4 all the great years of music. Even while you are not at your best.Special moment for dylan and his long time buddies THE GRATEFUL DEAD. Your either on the bus or not where would u like 2 be.

Seek out the Dylan set instead. That was a true rock show in every sense of the word. He & his band definitely blew the Dead off the stage that nite. My low-fi aud cassette definitely blows this GD dud away.

During 'Hwy 61 Revisited' the crowd was just going crazy, dancing and getting off on all his energy. Someone said they saw Jerry off to the side, just watching and enjoying.

The Dead's performance was completely imbalanced. Another show where Phil shows up, but everyone else was mentally watching 'Golden Girls.'

This day is one day that I will always remember. I lived about 15min from Highgate. This was my last day of highschool, I gratuated 3 days later. This is the only Dead show I ever made it to, but it is one of the best concerts I've ever seen. Granted, Jerry was not in tip top form but the show was a blast either way. There were too many balloons sucked on and brownies eaten. I have been looking for this concert since 95'. I can't believe I finally found it. I have since moved to KC but always go back to visit family. The people and the vibe definately made this day one I'll never forget.

I was getting married in a weeks time. My family got me to this show for my bachelor party. I can say I had the best band for my party and had some approx. 300,000 other guests attending. I saw Dylan and the Dead in 87 in Foxboro, MA. and was gratefully disappointed in that show. Needless to say, I was somewhat skeptical about Dylan again. His band completely rocked the place out! They were explosive!
At this show, Jerry Garcia appeared motionless and listless. Looking up at the screens, he did not seem like he had his eyes open during the show. He was really going downhill. The other members seemed to compensate with their musical stregnth. Garcia struggled....
It was great to see "That would be something". I always enjoyed seeing that done, and "Ramble on Rose", strong "Wang Dang Doodle" Bobby's vocals were strong and with umph!
I feel that the shows were loosing their edge around 93 and later. I was used to seeing the Dead in the mid 80's til the end. I felt that the whole scene was ending soon. I said to my brother as we walked into the show, "take a good look at what were are doing because this is not going to last much longer I'm afraid".
I could not believe how amazing the sound quality was at the airport. That place was expanse. By far the Dead had the best sound in music, period. They filled every inch of that place with crystal clear sound! I miss seeing the boys. If I had one more show to see again, it would be Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY 3/24/90 or Rich Stadium Buffalo, NY 7/90. Killer shows, check em' out!!! God Bless.....

I have very mixed emotions about this show. By far one of the funnest nights of my life. Being born in '77, I only got to see 6 shows in '94 & '95. There were a couple gems mixed in there but this show was bad. So much expectations, I had just graduated high school, all my friends & I had anticipated this one since the year before & left a little disaapointed. Great to hang & party, but the show was uninspired, one of the worst of '95 if not ever. Peggy-O & Ramble on Rose were my highlights, Jerry's solos are still beautiful, thats about it for the show. Everyone dogs the next show for Wharf Rat, but give SOTM a listen, Jerry just flat out gives up. I would rate this one with 1 star, I give it 2 'cause I still had a blast. Oh yeah, hearing Jerry talk to the crowd a little was cool.

Hats off to the recording of the show. It's well done and I actually remember more than I thought after listening to it again! I remember being in the backseat of my buddies VW, anticipating the time I was going to have, meeting up with friends, camping out, wakin' bake and off to another show. Granted Jerry was hurtin for certain but the Other Ones kept the groove going. I thought the show still was a good one, another experiance. Sorry for the first timers or the others that couldn't appreciate everything else in the air that day. It was a hot day man, Nitrice tanks dressed to kill with tye Dyes and hats on their cylindrical, four foot bodies! The smell of the stellar hotdogs, Skunk and the sounds of acoustic strings, bongos and people dancing along side hack circles. Good times. I still check the Other Ones out and I'm psyched I can still get the vibe when I go. Jerry would want everyone to carry on and do what he would have wanted still, smile and spread it! Shirley, Massachusetts baby yahhhhhhhh!

So many bad reviews, so I must toss in my two cents. Jerry was close to the end, and we all knew it, so living in VT we simply wanted to be there. '95 was more about enjoying one last time in the community and I guess that had to be your attitude going in. My brother and I played ultimate in the afternoon, spread a blanket in the grass not too close to the stage, and knew that if we passed something one way, it would eventually come back replenished, something you don't see in the younger crowds today. People were even sharing "special" water with anyone interested. The Abenaki welcomed us to their tribal land with a song or two, and then Dylan stole the show with the best set I've seen him play. I wish you could download these two experiences to get a full sense of how special this night was. And the Dead. . . were decent. Phil got goofy at the end of "He's Gone" and "Standing" made me cry because I knew this was going to be my last show. I can understand why people who weren't there wouldn't want this show, but if you know what I'm talking about how could this be missing from your collection?!
P.S. If Jerry sounds down, blame the gate crashers as much as his health. I mail ordered my ticket, and I was sad when word spread that people were shouting at cops and ripping down fences to get in for free. You can bet the band felt that way, too.

Unfortunately, this was my only show. I tried for years to get into the Boston Garden shows with no luck. As someone else mentioned, Dylan was surprisingly good, prob. best part of the night.

Jerry was a wreck. He forgot the words, but that didn't bother me too much. Let's be honest, he forgot the words during the best of times. But there were moments during the show when he was looking down at his guitar like he'd never seen one before. He was just staring at it. Drums and Space started out good, but lasted forever (45 Mins!!!) and seemed uninspired after a while. It became obvious that they were just waiting for Jerry to rest up.

Really, everyone else did a good job, and that's what made it so hard to watch, you could tell that there was a lot of music left in this band. When I watched the show, I gave Jerry six months - looks like I was too optomistic.

Listning to the show now, 10 years later, it's not quite as bad as I remember (Jerry actually sounds kind of into Ramble On Rose), but still nothing like what the Dead could be when they were on.

The camping was fun, and everyone was ready for an incredible show - it's too bad the boys couldn't keep it going longer. Lucky we still have 30 years of live Dead to listen too. I'm more of a 70's fan anyways.

This was my first and only time seeing the Grateful Dead and I drove with some buddies all the way from Albany, NY. As we walked in we were told the concert is free which worked out great as we didn't have any tickets. I was never a real Deadhead but, even though Jerry wasn't at his best, I was converted for life that night. It was near the end and I'm just glad I got to see them before it was changed forever.

I also never forget getting pulled over 2 times on the way home and somehow getting out of both of them as the smoke was wafting out from the backseat!!

Here is what I've learned after downloading most of the 1995 tour now-

1.) Don't believe all of the bad press the late era naysayers write about the shows until you listen for yourself>
2.) For a handful of shows in 1995, the naysayers are right and Garcia was having problems>
3.) For most of the 95 shows, the naysayers are dead wrong.
4.) As for this show, I will now take a listen and see if the naysayers are right..or wrong again and the show is enjoyable.

2 Cents- This show is just fine thank you very much. I think the playing is solid and interesting. Folks don't like Samba, but I do. And, like other summer 95 versions, it is very well played here. HC Sunshine is great.

Although the atmosphere was cool, and the surroundings were nice, the show was bad. It was like watching a ship go down and not being able to do anything about it. Jerry was off big time.
Dylan never played with the Dead which I was hoping he would do.
The field was a sea of bottles on the way out, and on top of it I actually gate crashed this show. Which I felt bad about until now, and I realized paying to see this show would have been a much worse crime.

One star.

Rob Evans,

Vineland, NJ

Checked this out because I re-listed to the oxford plains 88 shows which were great. They never played that location again so this was where they moved for Summer northeast gigs. Would love to give zero as well. Tough to listen to on alot of levels. Friends who were at this show also said Dylan was surprisingly good.

THE BACKGROUND: Here in Vermont where I live, the 2 Highgate shows are legends in their own time. There are many old hippies living in these hills, and many of the youngsters saw their 1st show up in that far, otherwise sleepy corner of our beautiful state. I have wanted to hear this show for 9 1/2 years as it was my last. I drove 6 hrs from Bangor, Maine, where it was 60 degrees and pouring, across the White Mountains of Maine & New Hampshire where it stopped raining and the sky brightened, up I-91 and across northernmost Vermont in order to approach Highgate from the East. By doing so, I avoided the 30 mile traffic jam on I-89 north of Burlington. State Highway 58 across northern Vermont turns to dirt for about 15 miles and there is a box spring where the Long Trail crosses! So, I filled up on sweet VT mountain spring water, continued on my way and passed a sign post reading < EDEN 9 MILES/HIGHGATE 21> ! While I wanted to see what Eden was all about, I was running to the minute to get to the show, so I continued. Sure enough and in classic Grateful Dead style, in the upper Lake Champlain Basin the sun was shining bright and it was about 82 degrees. The traffic jam approaching Highgate from the east side was only 5 miles long, so after paying $10 to park my car on someoneÃÂs lawn and another $5 for a pickup truck ride to a trail head 3 miles from the stage, I was on my way. I hadnÃÂt eaten in 6 hrs and, sure enough, the first food I encountered was some goopy hash brownies. Who needs acid with an empty stomach when eating these? By the time I arrived at the front gate, it had come down and the folks working it informed me ÃÂthe concert is now free.ÃÂ !! The walk out afterward was epic, replete with powerful ganja gooballs, sunrise, a hitched ride from a local farmer and a drive through SmugglerÃÂs Notch on my way to stay with friends in Montpelier. I did make it to Eden later that summer and live about 1.5 hrs south of the old airport where the stage was.

THE SHOW: At the time, I felt the show was great, especially since several songs were first timers for me. Afterward, folks kept insisting it was totally awful. Listening to it now brings out a lot of emotions about my relationship with the scene. I still donÃÂt think itÃÂs all that bad. Things get off to an inauspicious start as Jerry is barely audible during ÃÂTouch Of Grey.ÃÂ ÃÂWang Dang DoodleÃÂ is solid though, and ÃÂPeggy OÃÂ not too bad either. ÃÂRamble On RoseÃÂ stands out with soaring guitar work generating appreciative applause and most of the words audibly sung with purpose. These were the days of JerryÃÂs teleprompter, so the fact that he cannot be heard on many lines is sad indeed :o(. Nevertheless, Jerry sounds like heÃÂs in alright spirits as he quips ÃÂPhil isnÃÂt ready yet. YouÃÂll have to say something really nice to himÃÂ in between ROR & Black-thr. Wind. Bobby does a great job on B.Thr. Wind. Loose Lucy sounds greatÃÂJerry is on for this song, mostly, though about 5:45 into it his voice gets lost behind the instruments a bit. ÃÂPromised LandÃÂ totally rocks out and VinceÃÂs keyboard work is truly superb as well as distinctive from BrentÃÂs, whom IÃÂve seen. Set 2ÃÂs ÃÂHere Comes SunshineÃÂ is a fun jaunt, but Jerry never really gets revved up in his guitar work (although he does hit most of the lyrics). It is Vince instead whose playing shines here. ÃÂTruckinÃÂ is so-so, ÃÂRollinÃÂ & TumblinÃÂÃÂ never really gets rolling at all and is a let down. Rhythm devils rollick however and are worth a download on their own, followed by a trippy, expansive Space. ÃÂBox Of RainÃÂ is as good as any IÃÂve heard, as is ÃÂStanding On The Moon.ÃÂ Jerry finally gets into a groove by this point and it becomes possible to momentarily forget this is a ÃÂ95 show. "Samba In The Rain" is not that great of a tune in my opinion, but the playing at least was solid here. ÃÂSugar Mags>Sunshine DaydreamÃÂ perfectly reflects the mood of the day, albeit in a standard rote sort of rendition. ÃÂLibertyÃÂ encore was a bit of a letdown and is still difficult to puzzle out the words.

3 stars for stellar sound quality and not really that bad of a show, even from one as biased as I.

For a 95 show this one aint too bad. Good hes gone, samba, and standing on the moon. The sound quality is great for an audience mic. Its not an awesome show but other 95 shows are a lot worse.

Geez, I just listened to this one thinking maybe I'd like to have it cuz I was there. Well, I was having a blast, but this show does not merit listening to again. Ramble on Rose, not too bad, a couple other musical bright spots. I remember the walk into the fairgrounds being something like the descent into the pit of despair, with all the trash and dust. I remember a huge freak security dude call me a maggot and try to chase me for peeing on the ground. He wrecked my buzz, but it was funny how easily I smoked the dude. Don't bother. One star for how much fun I had and the memory of the show. Gerry was hurtin. Move on.

I walked out of this show saying that it was all over for Jerry. He stumbled through the entire show, truly sad. On the other hand Dylan was pretty good and the scene was fun. Bands would drive up and play in the parking lot out of trucks etc. I swear to god, TC was playing with some band called Yep right across from where we parked. Someone, please, say they saw this too. I wasn't even tripping that day, thank god, it would have been like tripping at a funeral.

After walking about 3 miles and sucking down balloon after balloon we finally made it to the stage and if you were at all clostrophobic, this was not the place to be. Hearing this show again reminds how I thought when I was there how badly the boys were nearing the end of it all. The begining of the cursed summer tour. 2 stars for the ambience and the timing of the guy flying over the stage during touch of grey, thats about it. Move on from this one.

Granted it might not be the most requested of shows now, but it holds a great place in my memory of show experiences. The residents of that small and hot Vermont town were kind and the kids, we were dancin'. We didn't have to crash a gate and I'm glad I paid for that ticket I now have stuck in a jewel case somewhere. The sound quality here is pretty sweet and I'm glad I can go back for a little while. Thank you.

After seeing so many wonderful shows over the years, this one was just awful. Jerry was in bad shape, we could sense the end was near. The best part of the show is the drums>space.

Hopefully there is a SBD of this somewhere! We drove nonstop from St. George, Utah. Stayed up partying all night, and I got in free. Damn fine keep up the good work.

Peace and Jah love

it was a horrid show. Jerry was on his last legs. He missed lyrics even with the tele-promptor.

On the plus side, the camping and partying was great but if you want an honest review of the music it deserves one star.

Sorry for the honesty

Been looking for this show since I walked of the Airport field that day. Thanks John!!!

It's such a treat to see the boys in your own hometown... Still have the "Camping Here" sign we hung out for friends...

A great day of Dead in the fields of Highgate. Hope there's an SBD on it's way, but the AUD helps make sure the music never stops. Kudos!